The increase in food prices since 2020 has resulted in fewer meals eaten out, with 41% of consumers reporting a reduction in restaurant visits due to the high cost of living.

The average lunch spend in Portugal was €17.82 during the week and €18.29 on the weekend, while total spending on restaurants and hotels decreased in household budgets, accounting for 8.6% between 2022 and 2023, according to a report by idealista.

The Portuguese increasingly prioritise home-cooked meals, whether at home or with family and friends. Studies indicate that two-thirds of meals consumed are prepared outside the home, but only a small portion are consumed in restaurants, with prepared foods or retail snacks predominating. The average daily time spent preparing meals is about an hour, with a large gender disparity: 41.5% of men never cook, compared to 5.8% of women, and two-thirds of women who do cook do not share the task with other household members.

Eating out is associated with socioeconomic factors: men, urban residents, adolescents, and adults with higher levels of education and income frequent restaurants more regularly. However, patterns of greater involvement in household cooking are linked to less balanced diets and a higher risk of being overweight in women.